Family farm holidays in Cornwall magical for children, toddlers and babies.
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Coombe Mill Blog
"Tales from the farmers wife" shares the funny and interesting happenings on our lovely holiday farm with Farmer Nick and our 6 children. A behind the scenes look on balancing family, farming, the holiday business and cooking for all.
September holiday news from the farm
September holiday news brings you highlights from the summer and plans for autumn on our delightful family farmstay. ... Read More
A Month of Being Open for Holidays
Reflections on a month of our holidays being open again after the Covid-19 lockdown. How our no contact holidays work & farm news. ... Read More
Holidays opening from 4th July 2020 at Coombe Mill. Enjoy a farm holiday with animals feeding and tractor rides in a covid safe envirnment. ... Read More
June Farm News 2020 under Lockdown
June Farm News with a look at your holiday ahead and what's been happening here in May during lockdown from hatchlings to sheep shearing.... Read More
Faced with a classroom sized amount of children and a Friday afternoon with a storm weather warning, I knew I was going to have to full something fun out of my creativity room. I wanted the families to have their holiday end on a high despite the weather and came up with 3 very different wet weather crafts I knew the kids would enjoy. A team Junk Model challenge, Kite making and fly and Friendship bracelets.
Junk Model challenge
This is a great activity to begin or end a session with children. It brings out their competitive side, creativity and logical thinking. I simply tipped a pile of recycled bottles from our recycling bins onto the table, split the group into two teams, gave each a small real of tape and 10 minutes to think up and build the highest tower they could. The parents couldn’t help but get involved too and it turned into a real family challenge on the two weeks I ran this activity.
Kite Making
When the storms are forecast kite making is a great one to make the most of the wind. I pre-cut squares of fabric from and old duvet cover for everyone and collected bamboo canes from our den building zone. The children had to secure the canes into a cross with string then colour their kite to their chosen design. My stash of loom banks came in handy to secure the fabric to each corner of bamboo cane while floristry ribbon made the tail.
Thankfully the rain stopped enough for the children to get outside and race with their kites. Our valley location isn’t ideal for picking up the best of the wind, but it gave the children the run around time they needed and a lot of laughs.
These are a great time filler and popular with both boys and girls. I had pre-threaded animal buttons with lengths different coloured wool and the children each chose one. They could twist or plait the wool to create their very own friendship bracelets. It had them totally absorbed while the rain pattered down outside.
These crafts made a perfect end to the holiday and even gave us a little outdoor time on a stormy day.
In the run up to Christmas we shared some wonderful seasonal Gifts from ASDA Photo, you liked them so much we are back with a new line up made especially for Valentine’s Day. Show that someone special in your life how you care with a personalised gift. A picture tells a thousand words, share yours on an amazing choice of great ASDA household items.
If this sounds like the answer to your Valentine’s Day gift worries, read on to discover the range available, and for your chance to WIN £35 to spend on your choice of products in the ASDA photo range.
Check out our handy ASDA Photo Valentine’s Day Gift Guide
ASDA Photo Product
Price From
Description
Example Image
Sequin Reveal Cushion
£16.00
Keep that special memory in your home with a beautiful personalised sequin reveal cushion. Add photos and words onto one side of the cushion, then brush the two way sequins to reveal your chosen design. A clever and thoughtful gift.
Personalised Mugs
£8.00
Create that romantic Valentine’s morning with a surprise cuppa in a personaised mug. Choose from the wide range including ceramic, porcelain, latte, and the travel mug, there is one just right for everyone’s morning routine.
Personalised Cards
£1.90
Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to break the bank, choose your own message and photo on a very special card at a bargain price.
Photo Blanket
£28.00
Curl up on winter evenings with your loved one and your own special valentine’s blanket printed with a special photo memory. A moment in time to relive together.
Keyrings
£4.50
Asda photo Personalised key rings are a little gift for your loved one to use day in day out. Another great reason to never lose your keys again!
Photo Magnets
£1.00
What a bargain! At this price you can cover your fridge with all your favorite romantic moments.
Canvas Prints
£12.00
For something to display on the wall and turn to day after day, why not choose a canvas print of your favourite photo? These are available in a range of sizes and designs including collage and retro prints.
Photo Books
£3.00
From a Wedding Day album to a dream holiday, the ASDA Photo book would make a wonderful keepsake this Valentine’s Day.
Phone Cases
£12.00
Nothing is with us in the modern era more than our phone. Make your loved one’s case special with a besoke design printed on an ASDA photo case.
Retro Photos
25p
A perfect way to show you care this Valentine’s Day for just pence. Have your favourite photos together made retro looking with your choice of message and slip them inside a card.
Win a £35 Voucher towards any of the above with ASDA Photo and Coombe Mill
If you fancy making Valentine’s Day special with one or more of these thoughtful photo gifts, simply follow the instructions below. A voucher code will be sent to the winner. No cash change is available, though the winner can top up the voucher themselves to use the full £35 worth on any products from the range.
First of all, a very Happy New Year to you and your family. I’m sure for you, as for us, the Christmas decorations are down, the children are going back to school and we are optimistic for the possibilities of a new decade. I hope you can take a minute to glance through the month past here on the farm, our plans ahead for the forthcoming season and of course a guide to the Cornish Events january 2020 if you are in the area.
Thinking ahead to a weekend break?
Because the pennies are tight after Christmas, but everyone fancies a few nights away, we have the perfect offer for you. A little something from us for you to look forward too over the coming months:
To book this great deal simply place your booking on line and write Jan2020 deal in special instructions before you pay and I will add a discount to change the price for you to reflect the £250 stated.
Optional extra charges still apply.
Coombe Mill properties only.
Excludes 15 – 22nd February.
March is the start of lambing for us and a wonderful time to be on the farm.
A look back at Our Christmas Fun
Christmas is always a wonderful time here at Coombe Mill. It is a chance for parents to escape the usual Christmas rush and chill out in our beautiful rural surroundings while excitement builds for the children. Christmas Eve saw us treat the children to some fun crafts with snow globe making and mince pie baking.
For those who enjoy a children’s Church service St Tudy Village did us proud with a delightful Christingle finished off with Santa on his sleigh
We followed this up with a party for all the family in the games room. No Christmas Eve party would be complete without a visit from Santa who managed to hot foot it back on his sleigh from St Tudy. Sat in our purpose made Grotto he delighted the children with a few wise words and a gift for all.
Christmas Day saw us enjoy a very relaxed 10 o’clock start for the Feed run with Santa Nick and a glorious sunny day.
We were like tourists on our own doorstep over the Christmas period and joined many of our guests with a stroll around Padstow enjoying Cornish pasties and some lovely coastal walks. We are in such a perfect location to make th4e most of the coast any time of the year.
If you fancy all this for Christmas 2020, the activities are all included in the price of your stay.
Just in case you are taking us up on our great £250 deal for January. Here’s a look ahead to some of the things we have going on locally in Cornwall.
Nb: I have not been paid or sponsored to mention these places, they are just the Cornish Events January 2020 that I feel would be of interest to Coombe Mill Guests.
Wishing you and your family a very prosperous 2020 and as ever hoping to see you here on the farm
Here at Coombe Mill we are ready to enjoy the festive fun to begin. The planning is done, present wrapping begun and the place is looking its seasonal best. I’m a great believer in planning, not because I like to gloat, but because I want to enjoy the Christmas week myself and I’m not good at handling last minute stress.
Christmas Lights
The lights are up around our log store and across the car park and the phone box is also lit. This has the dual purpose of looking festive and helping you to navigate the farm in the early evening darkness.
Christmas Trees in all our properties
Our properties each have a tree with lights on ready for our guests to arrive. In addition there is a box of decorations for each family to embellish their tree to their own design on arrival. Speaking of arrival, we also ensure the fire will be lit and the heating and hot water all on to make your Christmas visit welcoming and relaxing from the minute you arrive.
Christmas Eve Family Entertainment all planned
Christmas Eve is an afternoon of entertainment for the children here at Coombe Mill. We will have fun making Snow Globes for our festive fun craft in the afternoon. This is followed by a trip to the village Christingle service for those who would like to participate; Santa makes an appearance and there is a treat for everyone.
Back at Coombe Mill we start the evening off with a drinks party in our games room for all our family and guests to meet and chat over a glass of bubbly and a bite to eat. As a special treat for the children, Santa will be there too, in a purpose built Grotto for all to visit.
Farm rides throughout the festive fun
Out on the farm the feed run will run each day with the usual swell of enthusiasm from our little helpers. This is the perfect way to learn about the farm and run off some of that Christmas excitement each morning.
Christmas Bear on Social Media
I’d love you to follow our fun on social media too. We have our very special Christmas Bear out in a new location each day. See if you can spot him on my Instagram and Facebook stories and see what he gets up to. Each week in my main feed you there is a summary of the week’s activities and locations.
Get ahead for some Christmas festive fun for next year
We still have some last minute space for this year, or why not take up our December offer from my last post: Book head for next year now in the property of your choice and pay nothing till March 2020 just by writing “Pay March” in special instructions when booking on line.
A break for us too
With all this in place and nearly 2 weeks to go, we are enjoying a couple of mini breaks ourselves before our extended family and guests arrive.
Whatever your plans this Christmas, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas filled with love, peace and family festive fun.
For growing kids with a developing appetite for discovering the planet and the animals that inhabit it, we have the perfect book. Animal Atlas from Lonely Planet Kids is a wonderful resource for children age 8 – 12 year olds. Not only is it packed with fun facts, they are illustrated beautifully and even have life size pictures to give the reader a real sense of reality even if it is something many miles away. Read on to discover more about Animal Atlas and for a chance to win your copy of this wonderful new publication.
More about Animal Atlas
The book takes you across continents and oceans exploring the incredible animals that live there. Feel the enormity of our planet with the double spread fold out pages. From a life size look at an eagles claw to the frozen habitat and wonder of the polar bear this book covers it all. See how animals adapt to their environment and see the impact we have on their lives. This book touches science and geography and delves into our history. A great way to understand and respect the planet we all know and love.
What we love
Educational
Factual
Fun to read with fold out pages and secret fold out fact flaps
We were sent our copy of Animal Atlas for the purpose of this review. However all thoughts expressed here are my own. The Coombe Mill copy can be borrowed by our holiday guests from the book library in the games room.
“Tales from the farmers wife” shares life on our lovely holiday farm with Farmer Nick and our 6 children. Step into our beautiful 30 acres and experience nature close up with farming and educational crafts in stunning North Cornwall. Family, fun and adventure start here.
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